I’ll never forget my first experience. The rippling waves of thumping bass across my tingling skin, igniting a euphoric fire in my core. The sense of utter connection while the crowd of thousands unites as lovers of the electronic dance music (EDM) genre.
EDM is a spectrum of electronically-made music, commonly played at nightclubs, raves, and music festivals. It’s become one of the world’s most popular music genres, comprising of subgenres such as techno, trance, house, and drum & bass.
Despite EDM’s massive following, the genre is plagued with harsh and destructive criticism, which hinders the growth and acceptance of EDM as a legitimate musical genre.
EDM is commonly denounced as a genre of talentless musicians. But simply because a piece of music is conceived in a format which does not fit the predefined mould of music production does not mean it’s any less professional or creative than other pieces of music.
A computer, synthesizer, drum machine, and keyboard, much like a guitar, piano, or drum set, are real instruments, and should be acknowledged as such. The future lies in the technologies associated with computers. Most components of our society have already been digitized, including commerce, socializing and learning. So why do we have such trouble accepting the movement of music to the computer as well?
The EDM genre is perhaps the most creative in the world. While mainstream musical genres have the benefit of physical instruments to create predefined notes and rhythms, EDM producers create their own sounds without the help of a framework. They have no sheet music to read off of, and no formats to utilize. EDM producers are tasked with pioneering entirely new collections of diverse sounds the world has never heard before, requiring the utmost creativity and skill.
Finally, the EDM scene is viewed by a shocking amount of people as a place which people use for the sole purpose of abusing recreational drugs. True, the EDM scene is a place where recreational drug use does occur, but not nearly to the extent that outsiders believe. Like any musical scene, taking drugs is always an option, but is never required. Drug use is a small component of the scene, and it isn’t its defining feature.
In fact, the majority of EDM fans who choose to use drugs do so using the safest methods. In the EDM scene, the use of drug testing kits is encouraged, and these kits are often available on site at events. Paramedics are always on site to help if necessary, and water is available for free.
The EDM scene revolves around connection, friendship, and unity, qualities which are important when people choose to use drugs at an event. It fosters a mentality of looking out for one another, and this makes the environment safer. The EDM scene welcomes a diverse group of individuals, and should be rewarded and recognized for this.
If the world took a moment to educate themselves about the invigorating EDM genre, people would finally understand that EDM is more than just a type of music. EDM is a culture of connection, creativity, and diversity.
